The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-03
A Remarkable Campaign in Texas.

4 "a hSfndrk dDlo SdInpdlBn III IeAdS'
The Prohibition campaign in Texas is
! gradually attracting the attention of the
entire country. 1t is a very remarkable
campaign, not only on account of the bit
ter feeling that is cropping out in all parts
| of the State, but. also, because no political
question is involved in IT, There are no
! candidates soliciting votes and no issue that
! separates Democrats from Republicans.
The sole question is the proposed constitu-
tional amendment, which is TO be voted
upon on Aug. 4, and which provides that
no intoxicating liquors shall ho manufac-
tured or sold in the State except for med
ical, mechanical, sacramental and scientific
purposes.
Its true that there is political phase to
the campaign, hut it is yet uncertain what
effect it will have upon the result of the
contest The Anti Prohibition Democrats
claim that the adoption of the amendment
will split the Democratic party, and the Re
publican leaders are undoubtedly aiding the
Prohibitionists with the hope that the Dem
ocratic party will be damaged The Pro
hibtion Democrats, however, are confident
that the adoption of the amendment will do
the Democratic party no harm, because no
principle of the party is involved. 1t is
worth noticing that although the Republi-
can leaders are anxious for the adoption of
the amendment ON account of the possibility
that itmay injure the Democratic party, they
are unable to control any considerable per-
centage of the negro vote in favor of it.
They have secured the influence of the negro
preachers and politicians for it, but the esti-
mates thus far do not give the amendment
more than one-tenth of the negro vote.
The State has about 325, 600 voters OF
these nearly 100000 are native whites, about
$4,000 are negroes, and the rest are natural
lied citizens. The strength of the Prohibi-
tionists is among the native white people.
The negroes and foreign-born citizens have
thus far shown disposition to act with the
i-Prohibitionists The four weeks re-
naming of the campaign, however, may
change the situation very materially.
In no political campaign have the people
of Texas been subjected to greater excite
ment, Ministers are taking part in this con
test, and the women are making their voices
heard. The best speakers of the State are
on the stump, and at many of the meetings
wild scenes of lawlessness are witnessed.
Rocks and rotten eggs are quite freely used
to suppress free speech, and every day the
excitement becomes more intense. If the
amendment is carried it will be by such
small majority that it will be difficult to Ell
force the laws enacted to carry it into effect.
The experience wherever prohibition has
been tried is that it Is ineffective unless sup
ported by an overwhelming public senti-
ment. There has been prohibitory law in
Maine for thirty three years, and yet in
toxicating liquors are sold freely i'll the
cities of that State. In the rural districts
the law is enforced because the people there
are overwhelmingly in favor of it.
Probably four-tifths of the counties of this
State have adopted prohibition, and with
very few exceptions they enforce it. So
gratifying are the results that there is very
little danger that they will return to free
whisky. Ask any of the saw mill firms, the
naval stores producers or the planters what
they think of prohibition and they will not
hesitate to express their approval of it,
Their labor is worth much more to them
now than when there was a dram shop at
every cross roads.
On Friday the high license system went
into effect in Minnesota. 1t costs 81 900
in cities of over 10000 inhabitants and $500
in cities having less than that number to
get a liquor license in that State now. 1t
cannot be doubted that the temperance
cause is making progress, If there is a
prohibition candidate for President in 1888
he will get much larger vote than st. John
got in 1884.